Te Waka - Waikato Economic Development Agency

08/05/2024

New insights from the latest Waikato Business Sentiment survey, released today, show that despite tough economic conditions and the prospect of continued recession, Waikato businesspeople are maintaining a level of pragmatic optimism.

The survey, conducted twice annually by Te Waka, reveals that while there has been a slight decline in overall sentiment, businesses in the region remain positive. 43% express confidence in their own performance, with 48% anticipating an upturn in the regional economy over the next 12 months.

Te Waka CEO Fiona Carrick notes that although high costs and wage pressures are felt nationwide, the survey results highlight the resilience of the Waikato economy.

"These results show that while some sectors and districts are challenged, others are seeing opportunities ahead, demonstrating Waikato’s resilient and diverse economy,” she says.

Keen to find out more? Read the full sentiment survey report here: https://tewakapublicwebsite.blob.core.windows.net/sitefinity-storage-production/docs/default-source/resources/waikato-business-sentiment-survey-report---april-24.pdf?sfvrsn=8ca3ea7_8

17/04/2024

Yesterday Te Waka proudly hosted a delegation of international agents in the Waikato, showcasing the region as an exciting study destination with a high-quality lifestyle.

International education plays a crucial role in the growth of the Waikato economy and the vibrancy of the community. By showcasing our world-class education options, fostering cultural exchange, and building talent pipelines, we contribute to the ongoing growth and prosperity of our region.
Read more about the visit and Te Waka’s work to support international education in the story below.

Thank you to Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao for providing funding to enable this event to happen in our region, and to our partners at The University of Waikato, Wintec - Waikato Institute of Technology, Vision College NZ, Morrinsville College, and St Paul's Collegiate School who supported us in delivering the event.

https://www.waikato.com/whats-on/news/article/2024/04/17/te-waka-hosts-international-agents-to-boost-education-sector

01/04/2024

What would help your business grow? Share your priorities and shape how we advocate for the Waikato’s economic growth.

The Waikato Business Sentiment Survey provides a snapshot of what it’s like to do business in our region.

By completing the survey, your voice will become part of the insights and recommendations Te Waka provides to government and local leaders to inform the investment and prioritisation decisions that will affect the Waikato.

Complete the survey: https://tewaka.typeform.com/sentimentsurvey

Make sure your sector and district are represented. We encourage you to share this opportunity to make your voice heard with your colleagues, leaders, and wider business network.

13/03/2024

The Government has unveiled the draft Government Policy Statement on land transport for 2024-2034, which is now open for consultation.

The consultation draft outlines the Government’s land transport investment priorities and guides how more than $7 billion from the National Land Transport Fund and local government will be spent each year.

For the Waikato, where our primary industries and manufacturing are the backbone of our economy, our region heavily relies on efficient and reliable transport networks for our long-term prosperity.

It’s important for the Waikato community to make our voices heard and ensure our region’s interests are at the forefront of key decision-makers’ minds.

Consultation closes on 2 April 2024. For more details, visit the link below.

The Minister of Transport today released the draft Government Policy Statement on land transport (GPS) 2024 for feedback.

05/03/2024

Is Hamilton the coolest city in the country?

We think it is!

In this recent Listener article Te Waka’s Rosie Spragg weighs in on the role of the primary sector and tech businesses in supporting the growth and vibrancy of the Waikato region.

Read in full here:

The 'Tron is finding its mojo thanks to entrepreneurs, artists and philanthropists.

27/02/2024

Event submissions are now open for the Techweek 24 festival!

Running from 20-26 May this year, Techweek features a wide array of events that spark technology conversations across the motu. As the regional partner for the Waikato, Te Waka is proud to support local events to accelerate the growth of our tech sector.

The Techweek24 festival is open to all. Whether you’re planning the launch of a new product, networking with potential investors, holding a hackathon or a family day — this diverse, open-source festival is a chance to celebrate the world-first, world-class tech that's being created in the Waikato.

Learn more about submitting an event here: https://techweek.co.nz/get-involved/run-techweek24-event/

25/02/2024

Last week we were grateful to attend the Te Hono Māori Te Pou Tuangāhuru conference at Tūrangawaewae Marae, commemorating a decade of Māori agribusiness innovation and exploring industry futures.

The event enabled thought-provoking discussions on strategic futures thinking in the context of accelerating technology change, significant taiao/environmental challenges, the application of Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge systems), political change and uncertainty, and demographic change.

Key outtakes from the conference included:
💡The need to be bold in futures thinking – any useful statement about the future should at first seem ridiculous
💡The need to be thoughtful in how we frame problems – the way we frame a problem often determines the solutions we create, and we should therefore frame problems around the behaviours we want to encourage
💡The opportunity to build a value chain for a Taiao-centred economy, and the need to ensure governance structures include skills needed for a Taiao-centred future
💡The opportunity for Māori to lead in innovation, enabled by investment in rangatahi (young people) who are hungry to serve their communities and make impactful change

A big mihi/thank you to the Te Hono event organisers and hosts Waikato-Tainui for creating the space for these important conversations.

21/02/2024

Get ready Waikato — submissions for Techweek NZ events open on 26 February!

Whether you've run an event before or have always wanted to, now's your chance! Anyone can submit an event to be part of the Techweek24 festival.

From conferences to meet-ups, hackathons to family days — this diverse, open source festival is our chance to celebrate the world-first, world-class tech that's being created right here in the Waikato.

Learn more about Techweek24 events here: https://techweek.co.nz/news/event-submissions-open-feb-26/

12/02/2024

By leveraging the latest technologies and manufacturing techniques, advanced manufacturing companies can produce high-quality products more efficiently and cost-effectively, increasing their profitability and contributing to the economic growth of our region.

There are two upcoming opportunities to learn more about advanced manufacturing in the Waikato:

- The Digital Manufacturing Challenge – 20 February 2024
Test your understanding of Industry 4.0 solutions and how to apply them to your manufacturing business with the Digital Manufacturing Challenge in-person event. You'll get hands-on experience with all levels of technology, and critically analyse possible ROI and pain points.
https://www.industry4.govt.nz/event-template/?eventtemplate=225-the-digital-manufacturing-challenge-hamilton&event=1081

- Smart Factory Showcase – 29 February 2024
Immerse yourself in the Virtual Nautech Smart Factory Tour and experience the future of manufacturing during the in-person showcase. This is an eye-opening experience for manufacturing leaders and their teams to understand how the integration of systems and technology will allow agility and rapid decision making.
https://www.industry4.govt.nz/event-template/?eventtemplate=219-smart-factory-showcase-waikato&event=1073

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18/01/2024

In response to the call from industry to adapt the way we train local talent entering the tech industry, yesterday’s event ‘Designing a Tech Apprenticeship for the Waikato’ engaged with a range of local industry tech leaders to co-design new models for delivering tech training.

Hosted by the Waikato Tertiary Tech Alliance, insights from the hands-on session will be used to design a pilot to meet industry needs, working in partnership with local training providers. We greatly appreciate the involvement of tech industry leaders in yesterday’s session and look forward to ongoing collaboration in further workshops over the coming weeks.

The Tertiary Tech Alliance is a collaboration between Government, local training providers, and key supporters of technology workforce development in the Waikato, including Te Waka. Thank you to the Ministry of Education, the University of Waikato, Te Pūkenga (Wintec and Toi Ohomai), Vision College, the Ministry of Social Development, the Tertiary Education Commission and Toi Mai WDC for your ongoing collaboration and support.

17/01/2024

Te Waka’s ‘Marketing Toolkit’ is an online library of royalty-free images of the Waikato region that help you to tell your organisation’s ‘Waikato Story’ and attract opportunities for growth in our region.

Showcasing a range of our region’s natural, cultural and commercial strengths, there are 700+ images available to download. The images can be used for free to support your marketing activity including social media, newsletters, and presentations.

Access the free ‘Marketing Toolkit’ here: https://toolkit.waikato.com/

15/01/2024

With data that can be segmented by district and sector, the Te Waka Waikato Business Sentiment Survey is a wealth of regional intelligence. Today, we’re publishing five sector-level summaries from our most recent survey results – snapshots providing fresh insight into local sector confidence, priorities and outlook.

These reports reveal significant challenges faced by our agriculture/forestry/fishing and construction industries. Specifically, the agriculture/forestry/fishing sector is experiencing notable pressure on commodity prices, contributing to a reported revenue decline in 41 per cent of businesses. However, the outlook for both sectors for the next 12 months is more optimistic, especially construction, which boasts a notably high net confidence score of +43.

The insights from the Waikato Business Sentiment Survey play a crucial role in shaping Te Waka’s strategic focus and advocacy efforts and enable our team to understand and support business owners, employees and investors at sector and district levels.

Check out the detailed summaries to learn more:
- Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing: https://lnkd.in/gTyfSVD8
- Accommodation & Food Services (Hospitality & Tourism): https://lnkd.in/gkusFGT8
- Construction: https://lnkd.in/gc6ZBViQ
- Education & Training: https://lnkd.in/g6E-hQBK
- Manufacturing: https://lnkd.in/gWBpjNCV

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